It’s about that time of year when summer vacations are winding down and families are settling back into their regular routines.

Think of your trip for a moment. If you are like most people, you probably had a detailed plan locked-in well in advance of your departure date and it was probably as thorough as a pre-launch checklist at NASA. Why? Because you wanted to make sure the journey didn’t end up being the inspiration for another Chevy Chase Vacation movie.

Bottom line, you had a vision for your vacation.

So now that the trip (and it’s great memories) are in your rear view mirror, it’s time to buck up and ask yourself a couple of questions about your business: How much time and planning have I put into making my business rock? (I hope the answer is “at least equal to or greater than the summer trip”). And, what am I basing my game plan on?

I will tell you what I tell my clients. Here it is and it is rarely a wrong answer. It all starts with the research. Shockingly, many businesses launch without having done any research at all. None! Nada! Zilch! And lots of companies don’t make research an important part of their strategy even after they are up and running.

Sure, some businesses find success by taking a gamble or ‘going on gut.’ The question you have to ask yourself is whether you want to take that kind of risk. If you do, then I wish you luck. Thanks for stopping by! If you want to take a more conservative and careful approach, then the rest of this article is for you.

When I start working with a client I don’t berate them about what I see as a misstep of launching (or introducing a new product line) without a strategy based in research. It’s not about the past. It’s about what we can do from this point forward.

Instead, we immediately sit down and get real by having an honest discussion about where they want to take their business. I tell them research is what helps them get a true picture of who their customers are. It helps them to identify the public perception of their business, and in some cases, it underscores to businesses that they are, unfortunately, not even thought of in the general marketplace. Put simply, solid research gives you a baseline and helps to take much of the guesswork out of how to grow the business. It helps businesses to actually create a vision, capitalize on their strengths and make some hard decisions in areas where they may be vulnerable.

There is an old saying that goes, “There is nothing more expensive than a missed opportunity.” Used in the research realm, it translates to something probably less memorable as a quote — but powerful as a practice to follow: “Know everything you can possibly know about your business and industry”. That means invest in research. And then, do something with that research. Sadly, some companies take the lead, do the research, and then let the data sit on a shelf collecting dust. And if you need a little extra motivation, just remember, if you’re not doing research your competitor probably is.

I have checked Amazon.com. I’ve walked the aisles in all the big box retailers. I’ve even checked out some garage sales. And still, I cannot find this thing called lightning in a bottle.

The stuff must be rare!

In the business world that’s certainly a true statement. It exists, just not as frequently as we’d like to think.

What is not in short supply? Great (or at least ‘good’) ideas on how to grow a business or brand, and smart strategies to bring those ideas to market.

Many times though, the third piece is missing; simultaneous and superlative execution of all of the above. And let’s face it — all of the above are required. And all of them take time.

I can’t take credit for this but I do want to share it. It’s a great line. And it goes like this: “Bad or poorly executed ideas have nowhere to hide.” I got that from an article on the website strategy+business.

And I believe it.

I will tell you, that the old ‘gut instinct’ or that ‘hunch’ or that ‘feeling in my bones’ are probably not the kinds of things you want to base major decisions on. It’s a little like gambling in Vegas — it can be a crap shoot.

When businesses ask me to help them with a brand re-launch or the introduction of a new product, I tell them what I will tell you here and now.

Have a good sense of what your customers see as your greatest customer value proposition (not YOUR assesment — theirs). By way of example, there is a reason (my customer value proposition) why I will drive 32.6 miles for my favorite pizza and not think twice about it.

Always be in a constant mode of super-serving your customers’ needs.

Consider all the things you do well. And then ask, “What are the systems and processes tied to those initiatives that can also be applied to other growth opportunities for my business?”

Look across the street — to your competitors and determine the areas where they lead and where they are soft. Your opportunity may rest in knowing how to attract their least satisfied customers.

Research! Research! Research!

That last one is an important one. It’s not enough anymore to simply be ‘open for business’. To succeed, or lead in a category, you need to have a never-ending thirst for knowledge. And that’s where the qualitative research expertise of Joe Hengemuehler Consulting can help. So give us a call and tell us about the research project you’d like to start. We can help. 888-703-4636.

Oh, and I couldn’t resist. Here’s an image of that elusive lightning in a bottle.

When I talk to people who run businesses, they often tell me their biggest struggle is time. Meaning – everyone’s short of it.

You know the drill; too many deadlines or “It’s all important” but all of it just can’t get done.

Invariably, the conversation turns to what could be done with a few extra clicks of the clock.

And not surprisingly, one of those ‘could happen’ items is doing a better job of marketing the business.

These business owners are smart. They are well aware that social media is a fertile field to play in. In fact it’s critical.

Having a Facebook page or a website or a Twitter feed or a blog is a good first step. (Actually, having all of the above is a GREAT first step). But then what? Who has time to create content, keep it fresh, and give it life? It comes back to time.

One of the things I realized rather quickly was that I have the time.
When you boil it down, blogging is really about telling a great story. And as a television journalist in a past life, I made a career of telling stories.

What other great stories are out there to tell? And how can telling that great tale help your business generate more foot traffic, more buzz, more brand awareness?
If you’d like to learn more about our business blogging service, contact me at Joe@JHConsultingGroup.com .